The BBC's Alison Holt"The morning after pill is no substitute for sex education" real 56kShadow Health Secretary, Dr Liam Fox"Many people would regard this as being a type of abortion" real 56kGP, Dr Trevor Stammersand Paul Tulley of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child discuss the issues real 28k

Monday, 11 December, 2000, 16:17 GMT

Pill row takes new turn

The decision aims to curb the number of unwanted pregnancies

Family doctors want the morning after pill to be available to girls under the age of 16.

A Department of Health spokesman confirmed that emergency contraception would be available sold without prescription for the first time after 1 January, 2001 - but only to girls aged 16 and above.

However, GPs' representatives claimed the move did not go far enough.

Dr John Chisholm, the British Medical Associations GP leader, said : "We welcome the secretary of
state's decision but would have liked him to go further.

"If pharmacists can assess if it is appropriate for someone to have
post-coital contraception, they should be able to assess girls under 16 years."

This is excellent news and long overdue

Dr Jenny TongeLib Dem MP

Health Secretary Alan Milburn will push the controversial move by laying an order in Parliament on Monday.

The decision, aimed at curbing the number of unwanted pregnancies, is expected to anger religious and pro-family campaigners.

Britain has a higher rate of unwanted pregnancies than many other countries in Europe.

But anti-abortion groups and family groups say that making morning-after contraception more easily available may encourage younger people to have unprotected sex.

'Excellent news'

Mr Milburn will make the drug available over the chemist counter to women over the age of 16, the Independent on Sunday newspaper reports.

However, women hoping to find the pill in store on 1 January, 2001 are likely to be disappointed, the paper says.

Pharmacists warn the pills, expected to cost £20, may not be generally available until the following month.